Make Benchy Float Accesories

thingiverse

Benchy is an amazing and fun torture test for 3D printing (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:763622), but he doesn't float! I've created a few accessories that add buoyancy and plug holes, resulting in a floating Benchy. The accessories are clip-on bump tires, port hole plugs, and a hold cover. These accessories work great with Benchys printed in PLA at 15% and 20% infill; however, I haven't tested them on other materials or infills, so they might not work or may need to be positioned differently. He won't float on anything but very still water since he floats low down in the water. You also need to be careful placing him in the water. Additionally, after some time, water will leak in, so he doesn't float for long. This is just meant to be a bit of fun! Since the Benchy license doesn't allow modifications, I've contacted the designers and they've given their approval to post these accessories. A huge thank you to Creative Tools for their support. Print Settings: Printer Brand: Printrbot Printer: Simple Black Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.1 Infill: 100% Notes: Print all the tire parts and assemble them by pushing or gluing together the tire and clip. All the parts are separate files for printing in different colors. The tire insert is optional, either to match the color of Benchy or to provide a better finish if your bridging isn't great. In the red Benchy photo, I printed the hold plug from Bronzefill to add weight at the rear. He will still float with a normal PLA plug, and the black Benchy has a PLA hold plug. Only the hold plug needs 100% infill; the tires in the photo were printed at 0% infill for greater buoyancy but also work at 100%. You might need to sand the port hole plugs a little to fit since they're intentionally very tight.